MeMeMe Coral Blossom Cheek & Lip Tint

MeMeMe Coral Blossom Cheek & Lip Tint* - £5.50

Spring is almost in the air & as a result I've been opting for brighter colours when doing my makeup. Normally I tend to go for pretty pinks but peachy tones are slightly more natural looking & a great way to quickly perk up the skin. Recently I've been loving this Coral Blossom Cheek & Lip Tint from MeMeMe. I'm a big fan of multipurpose products like this one as they save some room in your makeup bag & they often end up being better value for money. This liquid stain strongly reminds me of Benefit's Benetint range with this orange colour being most similar to Cha Cha Tint. Benetint is often hailed as one of Benefit's best products but I could never quite bring myself to like it's weird old lady perfume scent & bitter taste when used on the lips. I much prefer the MeMeMe version because it doesn't really smell or taste of anything. Not to mention it's a lot more purse friendly! Coral Blossom simply imparts a beautiful peach tint to your cheeks & lips which will last for hours.

Although the colour of this product is described as coral, it definitely doesn't look that way on me. It's a true pastel orange. The formula is ever so slightly thicker & creamier than your average stain which allows you to blend it in seamlessly. Swatched on my hand it looks really pigmented & opaque but it transforms into something else entirely once you apply it to your face. Coral Blossom is actually very sheer but the colour is buildable if you require something a bit brighter. I have a feeling that this colour would work best on those with pale skin like me though because it might not show up very well otherwise. Used on the cheeks it adds a lovely natural flush of colour with a soft, dewy finish. I normally use three swipes on each cheek & blend it in using my fingers. I've tried blending it in with a brush but that tends to remove my foundation underneath so fingers are the way to go. It feels really light & cooling when you first apply it. I love how fresh & healthy it looks on the skin. As it's a stain the colour is really long lasting so you don't need to worry about touching it up throughout the day. This product adds the most perfect warm peachy glow to your cheeks for a bright Summery look all year round.

I really love Coral Blossom as a cheek product but if you're gonna use it on your lips I find that it needs a little bit of help. Without any kind of base it doesn't adhere well to the lips & the colour is almost undetectable. Maybe that's just down to the natural pigment in my lips but I think it performs so much better with a nude lipstick or lip liner underneath. Then you can just pat it on top or apply it with a lip brush to give your lips that same pretty peach tone as your cheeks. In these photos I used MAC Subculture lip liner all over my lips & then applied a wash of Coral Blossom using my Real Techniques Retractable Lip Brush. I think this combo looks gorgeous & the peachiness is a lot more noticeable this way. The liquid stain dries down quickly & comfortably. However it'll mostly disappear as soon as you eat something. Overall I think this product looks stunning on both cheeks & lips but the extra staying power means it works a lot better on the cheeks in my opinion. Are you a fan of these liquid stains or do you prefer traditional cheek & lip products?

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November Favourites

Anastasia DipBrow Pomade in Medium Brown
I love love love the Anastasia Beverly Hills products and her DipBrow Pomades are one of the best things to ever happen to my eyebrows. Now that I have this in Medium Brown instead of Blonde, the colour is spot on for my natural brows. The formula is just incredible. It's very creamy and easy to work with which means that you can sculpt your eyebrows into any shape you desire. You only need a teeny tiny amount as it is super pigmented. I like to use it with the Anastasia #12 brush as it doesn't lay the pomade down as thickly as other brushes. Once applied it won't budge all day long, it is totally waterproof & smudge-proof. I especially like that it adheres to the brow hairs and not just the skin underneath. The result is a very clean & precise yet natural looking pair of brows. This stuff will revolutionise your brow game forever. Read my full review here.

Lush Charity Pot
This moisturiser is called Charity Pot because 100% of the price goes towards a good cause. Each pot comes with a different label on the lid showing who you will be donating to by purchasing this moisturising lotion. I went for the Gloucestershire Against Badger Shooting pot because I think badgers are cute & it's wrong to cull them. It's really great that Lush are doing this & it's a such a lovely moisturiser too. You can use it on both your hands and body. The texture is quite thick & features a plethora of hydrating oils so I mainly use it on my hands or any dry areas like my knees & elbows. It makes my skin feel silky soft & has such a beautiful scent. It's a mix of moringa, geranium, rosewood & ylang ylang oil with a hint of vanilla - so good! They also sell samples of this in their little lip balm tins for £1 so you can just try it out. It's well worth investing in a bigger pot though as this is a brilliant moisturiser for the Winter & you're helping out a good cause at the same time!

Label.m Texturising Volume Spray*
I'm really into these dry texturising sprays. They're like a cross between a dry shampoo and a hairspray but without any gross residue, stickiness or crispy bits. Label.m products are a staple backstage at London Fashion Week and this Texturising Volume Spray is one of their best creations. I like to use this when my hair is looking a bit flat for an instant burst of volume. It feels lightweight yet the hold is impressive, leaving my hair looking big & bouncy all day long. It adds some sexy texture and definition to my locks whilst absorbing any excess oils. It's a great choice if your hair feels too soft after washing & lacks the grit to do anything with it. I'm not too keen on backcombing my hair as it can be quite damaging so I always spritz this in my hair instead when it's needed as visually you get the same effect. The price is very reasonable too in comparison to the Oribe Dry Texturising Spray or the Bumble & Bumble Thickening Dryspun Finish.

The Library Of Fragrance Pistachio Ice Cream*
This new range of single note fragrances is simply amazing. If you've not checked out The Library Of Fragrance yet then you're really missing out. These perfumes are such good quality for the price and along with the regular floral scents they also have some wonderfully strange ones in the collection. I'm really into their foodie scents. Who wouldn't want to smell like fresh waffles, apple pie or marshmallows? The Pistachio Ice Cream perfume smells exactly like real pistachio ice cream - sweet, creamy & nutty. It's utterly delicious & a whole lot cheaper than the Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache perfume. The best part is that you can mix and match these to create your own bespoke scent. Is it bad that I pretty much want to buy every single one? Read my full review here.

MeMeMe Long Wear Satin Lip Cream in China Rose
This beautiful soft pink lipstick is basically a drugstore dupe for MAC Creme Cup. Not just in colour but in texture, scent & finish too. Due to the inclusion of shea butter & vitamin E, this lipstick feels really moisturising on the lips & applies very smoothly. Long Wear is a bit of a misnomer as the texture is too creamy to stay put all day. I'd say it lasts about 2-3 hours before needing a touch up but that's fine by me! The pretty pink colour & glossy finish make this my ideal everyday lipstick. Read my full review here.

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MeMeMe Long Wear Satin Lip Cream In China Rose

MeMeMe Long Wear Satin Lip Cream in China Rose* - £8.50

Something I can never say no to is yet another pink lipstick. I dread to even think how many I've bought over the years but soft neutral pinks just suit me so well. I'm not one for the high maintenance that comes with most bright lipsticks on an everyday basis so a pretty pink has always been my go-to shade. One of the most recent additions to my makeup bag is this gorgeous Satin Lip Cream from MeMeMe. I can't say that I look through their stand regularly as I normally stick to Boots but this lipstick is completely worth a quick sojourn to Superdrug. The shade China Rose is such a beautiful nude pink colour. It's a fairly natural looking pink so this is exactly the kind of lipstick that I like to wear during the day. I wouldn't say it lives up to it's claim of being long-lasting, it's about average for a satin finish lipstick. However it is very creamy, comfortable to wear and easy to reapply. It's clear to see why China Rose has seldom strayed from my lips lately.

The thing that really sets this product apart from many other drugstore lipsticks is the formula. The quality is just phenomenal. This lip cream is enriched with shea butter & vitamin E so it really helps to soften & nourish your lips. It applies so smoothly and has a wonderful glossy finish. It just feels like silk on your lips. Everything about it; the texture, the scent, the pigmentation all remind me of a MAC lipstick. I would liken it to their Creamsheen finish lipsticks in particular. If you just swapped the packaging for that classic MAC bullet you wouldn't even be able to tell the difference. Carrying on with the MAC comparisons I would even go as far as to say that this is an exact dupe for MAC Creme Cup which is one of my favourite lipsticks of all time. The main difference is that the MeMeMe Satin Lip Cream is almost half the price of Creme Cup. I've fallen head over heels for this formula, who knew there were such good MAC lipstick dupes in Superdrug?! If China Rose is anything to go by then I definitely need to try out some more colours in this range. Have you tried the MeMeMe Long Wear Satin Lip Creams before?

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Five Of The Best Primers & Mini Giveaway

Primers are an often overlooked part of a daily face routine. Some people have never heard of a primer and some people who own them just forget to use them. However most people would probably agree that the state of your skin before you apply makeup is just as important as the foundation you use and the skill with which you apply it. Personally I have found that using a primer after your regular cleanse, tone and moisturise routine is the best way of ensuring that your skin looks flawless and your makeup lasts all day long. A primer is intended to provide a base for your foundation that will improve the lasting power of your makeup as well as smooth your skin and disguise pores & wrinkles. I've tried a few different primers now but I think that I've finally found the one that I'm happiest with. Heres a quick overview of them all.


Smashbox Photo Finish Light Primer
This was the first primer I ever bought. I was in New York so felt the need to buy as many cool things in Sephora as possible. Smashbox do several primers but I got the light one because its oil-free and therefore wouldn't clog up my skin. I love how smooth this made my skin feel and foundation definitely went on a bit easier. Unfortunately that was almost all it did. After about four hours of wear my T-zone would start to look a bit oily again and my pores were still visible from the minute I applied my foundation. Smashbox is now available at Debenhams & online in the UK where I think it retails for about £25. I think thats quite a lot of money to spend on something that doesn't really make much of a difference to your face.


GOSH Foundation Primer Cream
This is the primer I've been using for the last year. I bought it after hearing so many good reviews of the gel one. GOSH do a few primers but I went for the cream because it reminded me of the texture of the Smashbox one. I also thought it seemed less clogging than the gel one. I like this one quite a lot because it did keep my makeup looking fresh for the whole day without any oiliness creeping through. It doesn't hide my pores though and doesn't make my skin feel amazing. I did repurchase this product as it is a pretty decent primer for the price, which is about £14.


MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Face Base
I got this in last month's Glossybox and I'm not really a big fan of it. Its both a moisturiser & primer in one so the product is like a thick cream. I really dislike the way it feels on my face. It made my skin feel tacky and wet rather than silky and smooth like most primers. It makes my makeup look smooth and last most of the day but does nothing for my pores. Plus the citrus smell is horrible. A fullsize pot of this costs £15 so its in the same price range as the GOSH one but nowhere near as good.




Benefit The Porefessional
I saw this product in pretty much every '2011 Favourites' post out there so I was really excited to try this one out. When I went to buy this from Boots a couple of weeks ago they had this little gift set including a fullsize tube of The Porefessional for the same price as just the regular tube (£23.50). I'd wanted to try Girl Meets Pearl for ages so snapped it up even though the concealer is too dark for me. This product is really fantastic. Its not like any of the other primers I've tried because the balm is actually flesh coloured. The beige colour really helps to cover up any redness. It's definitely not enough to wear on its own but it does help to even out skintone making my complexion look flawless. I find that it covers my pores really well and makes my skin feel lovely. Really brilliant product.


Philosophy The Present
I absolutely love The Porefessional and didn't think I would ever find anything better until I was browsing the Philosophy counter in Manchester last week. Considering I'd only just bought the Benefit one a week before I wasn't looking for another primer but once I get obsessed with something I'll buy more until I find the perfect one. I remembered reading about The Present on Adrienne's blog and she seemed to think that it was better than The Porefessional. So after having a good natter with the sales assistant, who happened to be a MUA and used this primer on all the models at London Fashion Week, she applied it to my face. 'Wow, that's insane' was pretty much all I could say. I felt my face afterwards and it was just so smooth, I couldn't believe it. My pores were invisible and my bare skin actually looked pretty decent. The sales assistant has also pretty much convinced me that I need Philosophy's Microdelivery Peel in my life. I've been using this under my foundation for the past week and it looks like someone has airbrushed my face. My makeup lasts all day long without a single touch up and even with foundation on you can barely see any pores on my face. Another big advantage of this product over The Porefessional is the value. For £1.50 less you get more than double the amount of product. Pretty much the perfect primer. I can't wait to try even more Philosophy products.

Honorary mention goes to the Laura Mercier primer which I used to own many years ago but sadly never repurchased. That product was the perfect partner for the Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser but I never tried it with a regular foundation so can't really comment on it. I still think I prefer the Philosophy one as it makes my skin feel absolutely incredible. Are there any other primers that you like?

Now for the mini giveaway. As you can see in my Porefessionally Pretty set I got a mini pot of Benefit Erase Paste. The only colour included in these sets is Medium 02 which is way too dark for me. Rather than bin it I figured one of you might like to have it instead. I've not opened it so you'll get a brand new pot. Its the perfect size for if you want to just try it out or to put in your bag for quick touchups on the go. If you want to win it just write a comment saying so below and I'll pick one of you at random. I'll announce the winner this Friday. Easy peasy :)